13 Jun 2011

Another protest at Hawke's Bay prison

10:00 am on 13 June 2011

There has been another protest at Hawke's Bay prison.

Trouble started at about 6.30pm on Sunday when an inmate lit a fire in his cell.

Nine prisoners were then put into a secure recreation yard, but they refused to return to their cells.

They were demanding food and a chance to speak to the media.

They surrendered by midnight and now face criminal and misconduct charges.

The protest followed one last week involving 12 inmates, five of whom broke through the ceiling of a unit and made a stand on the prison roof.

Prison manager George Massingham says this is not a sign that Hawkes Bay prison is getting out of hand.

He says having two incidents so close together is not a good look, but both times officers managed to end the situtation peacefully.